Same genes may cause alcoholism and anorexia

A study carried out at Washington University School of Medicine in the US has discovered that the same genes may be responsible for both alcohol dependency and eating disorders.

A team led by Dr Melissa Munn-Chernoff examined data on almost 6,000 adult twins and questioned them about their eating habits.

Statistical methods were then used to determine the odds of certain traits being caused by specific genes - as identical twins share almost all of their DNA - and to rule out environmental factors.

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It was found that out of the one-quarter of men and six per cent of women who had been alcohol dependent, almost 11 per cent and 13 per cent respectively had also experienced problems with binge eating.

'Some of the genes that influence alcohol dependence also influence binge eating in men and women,' said Dr Munn-Chernoff in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.

She now hopes to carry out further research to identify the particular gene responsible for these traits.

According to the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence, 1.6 million people in the UK are affected by an eating disorder, while one in ten men and one in 20 women show signs of alcohol dependence.

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